Enchanting
by aku-md
Summary: On their way to the music room, Tomoyo and Eriol engage in a short and silly conversation about ninjas and...overthrowing the Prime Minister?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own CCS. :-)

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Enchanting

"Kawaii…"

"Great, she's alone. This is your chance to talk to her!"

"What? Now?" sounding flabbergasted.

Which was then reciprocated with a skeptical, "Of course now, baka! When would do you do it then?"

"S-soon," was the nervous response.

"Oh, you mean when pigs fly?"

"Well forgive me, master, for not being a good disciple."

Eriol suppressed a soft chuckle as he continued to overhear the conversation of his two male classmates on his right, Azumi-kun as the skeptic and Yamada-kun as the dumbfounded disciple. Based on his deduction, Yamada-kun can't seem to have the courage to approach this girl whom Eriol believes, he likes and assessing Azumi-kun's impatience, the infatuation has not been dealt with for a long…long time. From the corner of his eye it seemed that the skeptic was about to tear out his own hair in frustration with his friend's turtle-slow pace. Yamada-kun stood up after a few minutes of persuasion from Azumi-kun although it looked liked threatening from Eriol's standpoint. It was not in Eriol's nature to intrude (please add a bit of sarcasm to the word) but several years after Sakura-chan inherited his cards, life got, let's just say—a little boring. Witnessing this slice of life was nostalgic for the magician, remembering how his Chinese descendant confessed his love to the new Mistress of the Cards.

Eriol watched as Yamada-kun headed towards the front row where two clusters of girls gathered, though he recalled Azumi-kun mentioning that the lucky girl was alone. His eyes scanned for a lone female figure and found her erasing the board. Ah, no surprise there, another victim to her charms. If Tomoyo-san wished for a harem of men, they would gladly line-up to apply and Eriol can imagine Azumi-kun fighting tooth and nail to get a slot for his timid friend.

Yamada was ready to get her attention the same time as Sakura lead Tomoyo to the back of the room showing her the new teddy bear she made for Syaoran.

The flustered boy looked back to his aggravated friend as if asking, "What do I do now?"

The said aggravated friend glared at him in return, meaning: "Then follow her!"

"Right," Yamada said with finality, breathed deeply and trailed behind Tomoyo and Sakura.

Sweat began to trickle down his back as he got nearer the object of his affection. He swallowed an invisible lump in his throat prior to croaking, "A-anou… Daidouji-san…"

Since the two girls were engrossed with the improvement of the handmade teddy, they heard nothing.

Mischief danced in Eriol's blue eyes when he decided to give unsolicited help. As mentioned before, Eriol does _not_ intrude. "Tomoyo-san," he called rather loudly.

Yamada jumped in surprise while the owner of the head of violet hair turned to the magician, "Hai, Eriol-kun?"

"I think Yamada-kun wants to say something to you."

Eriol could hear Azumi muttering, "Talk, baka!"

Tomoyo and Sakura smiled at Yamada who sequentially went red. "Anou, Daidouji-san, you're a member of the school choir right?"

The heiress blinked for a moment and answered, "Yes I am, Yamada-kun."

"Uhm…well then, have a nice day!" the silly boy said apprehensively, bowed and quickly stormed out of the classroom.

Both girls eyed his retreating form with wonder. "What was that about?" Sakura asked her predecessor. A small snicker escaped from Eriol's lips while shaking his head. On his right, an irate Azumi smacked his palm against his forehead and went after Yamada.

-0-

Sakura nudged Tomoyo lightly on the ribs upon spotting the love-letter-filled shoebox of her cousin. "Ne, Tomoyo-chan looks like your fans are at it again," she teased.

Tomoyo laughed it off as she transferred the letters into a paper bag. The pile at home continues to grow into a small hill and finding time to read them all deemed impossible thus her problem about storage of these demonstrations of affection remains unsolved. The day she stepped into high school was the day these letters began to pour out of her shoebox. For some reason they find her attractive but as Tomoyo perceived it, Sakura-chan is much cuter than she is. Then add her boring lifestyle to the mix, it is not as fabulous as these boys might think.

"Tomoyo-san, choir practice starts at four," Eriol reminded her. He noticed the paper bag in her hand. "That looks heavy, I'll carry it for you."

"Ie, ie, I'm fine, Eriol-kun. Domo."

"I've got to run as well. Syaoran-kun promised to help me shop for 'Tou-chan's present. Ja ne," she waved at her cousin. "Eriol-kun, take care of Tomoyo-chan for me okay?"

The magician bowed formally to the Mistress of the Cards, "With my life, Sakura-chan."

Sakura giggled and ran out to meet Syaoran.

"Eriol-kun I believe Sakura-chan meant just watch out for me," Tomoyo corrected during their walk to the music room.

"Well, you never know, ninjas just might appear out of nowhere and kidnap you. Since I promised Sakura-chan to take care of you, it is my duty to deliver you from these wicked men."

The songbird laughed at the visualization. "Ninjas? I think you've read too many 15th Century history books, Eriol-kun. Besides, what would these ninjas accomplish by kidnapping me?"

"There's destabilization, chaos, anarchy to name a few. Your family could definitely instigate that."

"Eriol-kun, you make it sound like I hold Japan in my hands," Tomoyo mused. "And my family's business is toy making and not arms dealing."

"Can you not imagine, if you were kidnapped, your family will cause an uproar by stopping the production of toys. Then children will cry due to disappointment, parents won't be able to calm them down since no toys are made. They will blame the government for this and will attempt to overthrow the Prime Minister." Eriol explained it with such dignity Tomoyo almost believed it to be true, to think it's worse than Yamazaki-kun's fabricated trivias.

Tomoyo now laughed so hard, her sides started to hurt. "Eriol-kun, that is just terrible." The whole thought was so absurd but definitely entertaining. "Then I should thank Sakura-chan tomorrow for placing me in your protective custody."

The magician looked at her long enough to make her feel uncomfortable. "Now I understand," he said.

Tomoyo looked at him quizzically, "Understand what?"

"Why you are so enchanting."

Despite the numerous praises received in the past, never has Tomoyo been flustered by just one compliment…except now. It made her believe she is as enchanting as Eriol put it. She could almost feel the capillaries of her face dilating causing that embarrassing flush. Thankfully they reached the music room in time and Tomoyo was spared from responding to his last statement.

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A/N: Survey- should I continue this or not?


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Ohayou min-na-san," Tomoyo sleepily greeted Sakura, Syaoran and Eriol.

The three returned the greeting as Tomoyo took her seat behind Sakura. The Card Mistress spotted dark circles under her cousin's lavender eyes. "Tomoyo-chan, are you all right? You look exhausted."

Tomoyo nodded, "'Ka-chan came back this morning and I volunteered to pick her up from the airport so I had to wake up at three in the morning."

"Then you'd better head home right away after school," Syaoran suggested.

Sleep sounded so good to her at that moment, she was tempted to do just that. "Oh I definitely will, Syaoran-kun," she chuckled. "Oh dear, I completely forgot. We have choir practice today, don't we Eriol-kun?"

The magician affirmed with a nod, "You can skip practice today, Tomoyo-san. Mirahara-sensei will understand."

"Ie, I promised the kouhai I will help them today with their piece for the competition," she said. Since Eriol's enigmatic statement one would think nothing unusual happened between them. Is it now? Eriol might behave normally but Tomoyo was another story two days ago. Right after choir practice she hurriedly left as if unable to tolerate being in one room with him. At home, analyzing the situation ate a good four hours of her time and eventually decided that Eriol-kun might have said that just to fluster her. Oh, how very like him. Sneaky sorcerer. He must be so pleased with himself. And so she opted to brush the whole thing off.

_After practice_

Tomoyo arranged the scattered music sheets across the table while the other choir members headed out, leaving her in Eriol's company. "Eriol-kun, you don't have to wait for me," uncomfortable with the notion of Eriol obligated to wait for her—then again, he was always the gallant type.

The magician remained seated on the piano and began to play Ave Maria. "Tomoyo-san remember the ninjas are still out there."

She looked at him before giggling, "Of course."

"And if anything happens to you, Sakura-chan will have my head."

"You're exaggerating. You know Sakura-chan can't hurt a fly."

"Hmm, now that you've mentioned it—although she might ask my little descendant to do it for her and we are aware he's just dying to have an excuse to get that pound of flesh."

The Daidouji heiress solemnly nodded in agreement. She took a seat on Eriol's left and crossed her legs unaware of her skirt hiking up consequently exposing half of her thigh. Eriol never contemplated before that Tomoyo was taller than the average Japanese teenage girl until he noticed _that_ half-exposed leg. To some extent, he felt embarrassed (more likely hot and bothered!). He averted his eyes back to the piano and continued playing.

Tomoyo remained quiet, even closing her eyes as she listened to him play. There was something soothing about Eriol's music, it never failed to give that calming effect. So calm that it could…

Eriol stiffened when Tomoyo's head made contact with his shoulder. She fell asleep. For a second there he nearly forgot to breathe. Eriol stared at her sleeping face unaware that he was already tracing her cheek with his fingertip. She does look like a doll with her porcelain skin and thick lashes. Then he noticed how soft and inviting her lips looked that he caught himself bending down. Eriol was about validate his observation but pulled back. He woke Tomoyo instead. When the occasion calls for _it_, Eriol wants Tomoyo awake and conscious.

-0-

The clock chime signaled the end of the morning classes and the start of lunch break. Compelled by her urge to draw, she begged off the girls' invitation to join them for lunch and proceeded to the benches beside the soccer field. In spite of the noise the soccer club is making during their practice, Tomoyo was not bothered. She sketched nonstop that she has already assembled her first future fashion collection. Inspiration flooded her for some reason and she was literary on a roll.

A well-known shadow loomed over her sketchpad followed by a teasing remark, "Looks like the soccer team is having a blast with their muse around."

"Come now Eriol-kun," shrugging off his comment to attend back to her sketching. "Is the pot calling the kettle black? I know for a fact you have love letters invading your shoe box as well."

"I try to resolve that right away," he mumbled.

"Resolve? Pray tell Eriol-kun," she teased.

"But then I have to kill you, my lady and I'd rather not."

"That would be a shame. Nevertheless," putting aside her sketch book, she touched her temples with her fore and middle finger as a psychic would and closed her eyes, "I sense a strong force, a spirit maybe? No wait, it doesn't feel paranormal, it's more…" then gave the magician a impish grin, "Supernatural. Probably making those disappear into oblivion?" Tomoyo sweetly suggested.

He gave her a mysterious smile then made an imaginary sigh of relief when the Daidouji heiress missed though not by a long shot. How could he possibly tell her he had put a spell on his shoe box delivering the said letters to boys who like these girls despite being infatuated with the wrong person, namely him. If she knew, he could picture her eyeing him with disapproval: "Manipulating people again, Eriol-kun?" Then he would justify, "Look at it this way Tomoyo-san, in the end everybody wins!" Since he is covertly responsible for most of the hook-ups in the school, like a Japanese version of Cupid. (Such a clichéd analogy, tsk tsk tsk.)

Eriol put his hands inside his pockets, "Maybe," he spoke softly. Tomoyo's violet eyes went wide in disbelief. Then he added, "Or maybe not."

"Hiiragizawa, watch out!"

Too late for Eriol to heed the warning though, a soccer ball smacked right at the back of his head. Tomoyo gasped, "Eriol-kun!" and witnessed how his eyes rolled back into his sockets before falling like a tree. She quickly knelt beside the unconscious boy while the soccer team gathered around them to check up on him as well.

"Oi Akira, I think you just killed Hiiragizawa," one player said.

"B- but I told him to watch out," the perpetrator defended himself. "Am I going to jail?"

"If he sues your ass off," another supplied.

They continued to deliberate among themselves as Tomoyo worriedly tried waking him up. "Eriol-kun?"

Eriol groaned in response.

"Daijoubu, Eriol-kun?"

"Tomoyo-san?"

"Hai?"

"Tomoyo-san?" he grunted again and raised an arm. The girl being called immediately reached out to hold his hand.

"I'm here, Eriol-kun." What is wrong with him? Does he have a concussion? Maybe cracked open his skull?

"Is he dying, Senpai?" Akira bluntly asked. The team captain angrily rapped the kouhai's forehead with his large palm.

The boy in pain pressed the back of Tomoyo's hand against his cheek. "Tomoyo-san?"

"Yes?"

"Your skin…it's so soft."

Everyone present sweatdropped.

-0-

Saturday mornings are the best mornings in Tomoyo's opinion and what better way to spend those days than to head out and shop. Although she could only take certain amount of shopping and virtually hearing her feet beg for a time out indicated her limit. Tomoyo took a break at the Penguin Park after hitting the jackpot with those rare CDs she had been searching for almost a year. _Lucky!_ She squealed in her mind.

She spotted a vending machine and felt thirst about to invade her system if unquenched sooner than later. It was rather humid since summer was well on its way, which explains her craving for a drink.

"Tomoyo-chan! Is it really you?"

"Nakuru-san! It's been a long time! How have you been?" Tomoyo waved. Eriol's guardian ran towards the heiress.

"Pretty as the day I've been created," the guardian smugly answered with some added hair flipping. "What's that you got there?" Pointing at Tomoyo's plastic bags.

"Just some CDs." Noting the guardian carrying a plastic bag as well, "You've been out shopping yourself?"

"Oh yeah, Eriol-sama asked me to buy some cream. He's going to make some crepes!" Nakuru excitedly told her. "Tomoyo-chan why don't you come with me? I bet you haven't tried Eriol-sama's mango crepe."

_Mango crepe_…sounded divine but proper decorum dictated her to decline. "Anou, Nakuru-san. I don't want to barge in…"

"Oh don't worry about it! Eriol-sama won't mind at all," the guardian assured, grabbed Tomoyo's hand and headed home, ignoring the protests of the girl.

Meanwhile, Eriol was in his kitchen pouring milk in the bowl. He sighed when he suddenly remembered Tomoyo. Like an enchanting angel, he thought. Reminiscing how she worriedly hovered over him yesterday. Who wouldn't think she'd be an angel after getting hit in the head with a flying soccer ball courtesy of Akira-kun's legendary kicks.

"I'm back with the cream Eriol-sama!" Nakuru yelled from the door.

"Arigatou, Nakuru-chan. Can you bring it here? I've got my hands full."

"Hai! Eriol-sama, look who I found along the way," the Ruby Moon chirped.

Oh no, if Nakuru brought home another stray cat, Spinel will have a fit. The last time, the cat went into a murderous frenzy and chased after a screaming Spinel nearly demolishing the living room with claw marks and broken furniture. It took him half a month to get the repairs done. Eriol was pouring flour into the measuring cup, "Nakuru-chan, if it's another—" His pupils dilated when he caught sight of the girl of his thoughts standing beside his guardian who rivaled his own mischievous streak.

"Ah, Tomoyo-san what a pleasant surprise," trying to maintain an air of dignity.

"Master, the flour's spilling over," Ruby Moon pointed out and gave Eriol a few winks before leaving. "Ja ne."

The fumbling magician looked down on the snowy mountain he accidentally created while mumbling a few discreet expletives on his blunder. It must be Ruby Moon's impeccable timing or the fates believed it was his _lucky_ day.

"Gomen-ne, Eriol-kun for visiting unannounced." Tomoyo apologized and assisted him with cleaning up the extra flour.

He looked over his shoulder, "Ie, it's fine Tomoyo-san."

"Nakuru-san insisted I come over so I could sample your crepes," she told him.

"Then you're in for a treat."

"How's your head by the way?"

He massaged the bump, "It's getting better. Thank you."

"Ne, Eriol-kun about yesterday," the Daidouji heiress spoke. "You knew the ball was heading straight for you, didn't you?"

He grinned at her enigmatically. "Very perceptive Tomoyo-san."

"Then why didn't you do anything to stop it?"

"It would've have looked suspicious if a ball at a hundred miles per hour would suddenly turn right, wouldn't it?"

She laughed at the thought while adding mangoes on top of the cream. "You could've dodged, you know."

Eriol flipped the thin pancake as he told her, "If I did, it would have hit you in the face."

Tomoyo halted, looking at him softly. He said it so casually it was as if he did that for her everyday. She tiptoed and kissed him on the cheek, "Arigatou, Eriol-kun."

She caught him completely off guard that he forgot the pancake he was cooking. She beamed at him before taking the plate of crepes out.

"Tomoyo-san?"

She turned to him, "Hai?"

When the magician approached her, Tomoyo noticed a certain gleam in his eyes she can't describe but definitely made her nervous. The girl stepped back.

Eriol curiously looked at her, "Are you avoiding me?" he asked with a playful tone in his voice.

"N-no," she lied and continued to take a step back while he walked towards her.

"You are. Please stand still, Tomoyo-san. I won't bite you," he teased. When he got nearer, Eriol took the plate and set it down the counter. "There, that wasn't so bad. I realized I never thanked you properly yesterday."

Tomoyo felt a lump in her throat. "Really, Eriol-kun there's no need."

He whispered before he touched her lips with his, "Oh I insist."

THE END

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! I'm happy you guys like it!


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